IVO prop slings SS tapes

[P Morel]

Does anyone that uses the IVO have the same problem as me? I replace leading edge tapes around every 25 hours because they just don't want to stay on much longer than that. Does anyone have a secret they use to keep the stainless steel tapes on?

[Av8r_Sed]

Retorque the prop first so you know it shouldn't be moving. Then clean the area for the tapes carefully with MEK and reapply the tapes. Mine are a little less than 1/2" wide by about 2" long. I apply them on the back side of the prop and spacer blocks so they don't straddle the ridge in the prop blade. I get about 40 hours before the edges start lifting on mine.

Edit: I should read more carefully. I was replying about the movement tapes, not the leading edge tapes. Mine are still intact after 100+ hours with only a few very small dings.

[kmach]

I have replaced the SS leading edge tapes twice in the last 3 years.
I get close to 100 hrs before they need replacing.
The last time I replaced them I had some tape erode on one prop tip from doing a runup in a stupid spot , so I replaced all three tapes, have 67 hrs on them now.
I have only replaced them because of damage not because of coming loose.
I followed the Ivoprop instructions, there is a video on youtube on replaceing the ss leading edge tapes.

[DAT]

I had one come completely off in flight on one out of the 3 blades. Lots of vibration. Made an immediate landing. Found the tape completely departed so I removed the other two strips and continued. Replaced them and within a few hours another started to peal back. Took all three off and now fly it with no strips. No problems.

[SWeidemann]

I bought my well used Vixen (1600+ Hrs) with Ivo three blade UL prop. No metal tapes on leading edges. I was suspicious about airworthiness because of a few hefty gauges, so took some pictures for the Ivo Guy. He came back with "unairworthy" comment, so I have a box of three new blades with metal leading edges, so I'll see how much time I can get out of these. I also have the stainless steel tapes to indicate blade movement.

Skot

[av8rps]

Based on my experience of about 400 hrs behind an IVO UL, if you fly an IVO UL prop that is in flight adjustable, expect to replace tapes very regularly. The twisting of the blade for pitch adjustment by the electric motor, as well as the coning forward of the blade that happens when in flight, is just too much flexing for those stainless tapes to take.

If you fly a ground adjust IVO UL blade, the tapes should hold up much better as the blade is not twisted anywhere near as much since the pitch is fixed. Also fwiw, the medium IVO does much better as it doesn't flex or cone forward anywhere near as much as the UL blade does.

I fly floats, so I really need the stainless steel leading edges (water spray from float operations will destroy a fibreglass blade tip in MINUTES...).

BUT, if I didn't fly floats I would simply remove the problematic stainless tape and replace it with the clear plastic used on automobile rocker panels (aka body protection tape - I recall that 3m makes it. I think you can also buy leading edge tape from aircraft suppliers). I flew a season on wheels with that and it held up just super. But when I put the floats on, the tape (along with about 2 inches of the fibreglass prop end) was destroyed the first time I accelerated for takeoff.

So with all that said, I wouldn't even mess with the stainless tape unless I expected to fly floats (or was goofy and enjoyed flying in heavy rain). I believe in normal conditions the plastic tape leading edge protection would be fine.

And while you could fly without any leading edge protection for the blades, I would still suggest using something other than just the fibreglass leading edge of the blade.

I love my IVO UL prop, except for that darned tape. I heard the military has some special tape they use on their extrememly flexible composite helicopter blades to alleviate sand erosion in desert environments. If we could just lay our hands on some of that (and afford it?) it just might be the answer for our IVO props?

Just my two cents...